And continuing on...

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My eyes remained shut, even as I felt myself becoming more and more awake. I was afraid that last night was just a crazy dream, and that no help would come to me.

At last I couldn't stand lying there, just worrying, and I opened my eyes, rolling over onto my side to where I could see the clock which read 'nine: twenty- six.'

It was good that I hadn't slept in 'til one, or something, because in my house, that was unacceptable. Only sick people could sleep that late, and I didn't want mom or dad to think I was sick.

I got up, grabbed my towel and headed for the bathroom to take a shower.

The water felt a little cold, but it was a good cold, and it relaxed my muscles, and felt good on my head.

I toweled off, grabbed my pajama's and headed back to my room, flipping Josh Groban back on, and trying to sing along in un-intelligible Italian.

I giggled a little at the thought of what Carlotta would say if she heard me making a mockery of her native language, and changed the song to track three; 'You're Still You.'

My voice wasn't thoughroughly warmed up yet, so it sounded kind of sloppy, but as the song went on, I improved.

I took a deep breath before hitting the incredibly complex 'Lonely', but the moment after I belted out the first part, I immediately soured the note.

From behind me came a thud, and then some confused words.

I whipped around, and saw Meg, Christine and Madame Giry all in a confused heap.

"Fleur… this is indeed more… Oh my goodness! What on Earth are you wearing?" Madame Giry shrilled, shocked at my attire.

My cheeks flamed. I was still in just my bra and underwear. I had gotten so caught up in singing that I hadn't bothered to keep dressing.

"Well…I…" I stuttered, but I was cut off by the appearance of someone who I hadn't counted on seeing in my bedroom.

Erik.

My arms flew around my body, and Madame Giry forced Erik to face the other way.

"What's all this about?" he commanded.

"I'm not decent!" I shrilled in French, seeing as it was what they were speaking in also.

I could tell he was embarrassed by the way he said "I'll just…go back… for a little while longer, shall I?"

He disappeared, but I still didn't relax my grip over myself.

"You didn't say he was coming!" I said to Madame Giry.

"When I went to apologize for accusing him of your alleged death, he said that if Christine here was going that he would go too." She said, motioning to Christine, who turned bright red in anger.

"And you let him come still? Even though I am engaged to Raoul?" She demanded, scandalized.

"I had the feeling Fleur needed all the help she could get." She said.

Christine crossed her arms and sulked.

"But really, Fleur, what kind of under clothes are those?" Meg asked, inspecting my scanty ware.

"Well… here in the future, we don't exactly wear dresses and skirts anymore." I said, opening a drawer and pulling out jeans and a knit sweater. Even though it was Texas, it still got pretty cold.

I pulled them on, and then went over to my bookshelf, grabbing one of my Vogue's, handing it to them.

"This is the fashion book of Modern Day." I said, flipping it to a page where they could see 'the new hot trend: vintage '80's!'

"It's… scandalous!" Madame Giry breathed, staring in shock at one particularly low cut sweater set.

"Yes well, not everyone here wears those kinds of things." I remarked.

"But you! In man's breeches!" Christine said, pointing to my own clothes.

"Yeah, well, what can I say? Times have changed." I shrugged. I had to agree with them. Even though it sounded stupid, I did prefer their bulky dresses to jeans and sweaters that didn't protect you from the cold like dresses did.

"Well if this is what the future holds, I hope I'm not around to witness this outrage." Madame Giry said, pursing her lips.

I felt like giggling. She actually would be around, just not exactly participating.

"Well, not all things here are bad. We have heating in houses that doesn't require fireplaces or coal furnaces, and in the heat of summer we have a cooling system. And we can keep food cold in ice box type things, except you don't need to pay for ice. And we can listen to music any time we want!" I said, gesturing to my radio, which was still playing Josh. "And there are all different types you can get, too! Look…" I said, flipping it onto radio mode.

"Come and experience the Music of the Night as you've never heard before… Witness the longest running show on Broadway… come see Phantom of the Opera at Dallas Fair Park…"

Of all the times to play that STUPID commercial they just had to pick now, didn't they!

I flipped the radio off, but couldn't erase from Meg, Christine and Madame Giry's minds what they had just heard.

"What was that?" Madame Giry asked, more as a demand I tell her.

"Um, the Phantom of the Opera is back in town…" I said in a small voice.

"Phantom of the Opera… as in… the Opera Ghost?" Meg asked curiously.

"Uh, yeah… it's a Broadway Musical…" I said, half hoping they wouldn't hear.

"A Musical about Erik?" Asked Madame Giry.

"No…about…uh…I wish I didn't have to say this…about you." I said, cringing.

"About… us three?"

"No… about what happened in the Opera House between Christine, Raoul and Erik." I said, and then continued on automatically from memory the summary of the Phantom.

"The Phantom of the Opera is one of the most famous stories in the world, and is celebrated on stage as an eerie, romantic mystery of a man/ghost with a musical mission and a woman with the voice of an angel. The main characters are Christine Daae, the Phantom (Erik), and Raoul the Vicomte de Chagny. The place is the Paris opera house Le Palais Garnier and the story is one of bittersweet love and betrayal."

I sighed. This was really starting out fun, wasn't it?

"And then, of course, your fans loved the story so much that it was made into a movie, which, in my opinion, is no comparison to the musical. But this is beside the point…"

"Why didn't you tell us before?"

"I didn't want to scare you!"

"But… we have… fans? Were you one too?"

There was a pause.

"Yes. I considered myself one of your biggest fans. I wanted more than anything to be part of it, like in the show onstage, but I suppose I got something 'better.' I got to live out my fantasy, and I didn't like it nearly as much as I thought I would. I mean, I loved it, but not the way that things were happening after the Masquerade. And it was all so different from the story I had practically memorized! I had changed so many things, and it all wound up so different that I could have ever imagined!" I said, flopping onto my bed.

There was a long silence from above.

"May we… see this show, or movie?" Asked Meg.

I sat up. "No, because it might change everything. You'll know your fates, and that isn't right."

"But you just said everything had been changed. Because you came into our lives, you changed the outcome."

I couldn't help but agree.

"Alright, but let me see if my mother and father are still here…" I said, opening the door and going downstairs, where mom and dad were putting on their coats.

"Oh! Hun! We were just about to come and tell you… we're going out to the mall, did you want to come with us?" Mom asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Mom, going to the mall with your patents is SO juvenile." I smiled while saying, so they would take the hint that I was joking.

"Alright, alright… is there anything you want us to pick up?" Dad asked.

"Hmmm, well I did hear that Phantom of the Opera was back in town…"

"Besides that. You've already seen it twice." Mom smiled.

"Aw. Well, if that's not an option, I guess I don't need anything."

"Okay, see you in a bit."

And they left.

I went back upstairs, and told the girls to come on downstairs.

"They just left, so it'll be safe." I said, putting in the movie. "Go ahead and sit on the couch, it would bite."

They sat down, and there was hardly enough room for all their skirts, so I got to sit on the floor; but I didn't mind, the floor was good enough.

The movie played, and every time I glanced back at the trio, they looked to be in shock.

I would shift uncomfortably, wondering if I should just shut the movie off right then and there.

A little ways in past the beginning of Il Muto, there was a knock on the door.

It startled me, and I scrambled for the remote, pushing pause, making Carlotta stop mid-screech.

I opened the door a little ways and say Clair standing there, already trying to open the door up.

"Hey, Clair…" I said, glancing nervously back at Meg, Christine and Madame Giry, who were looking around the living room curiously.

"Hey, wanna let me in? I think it's going to start the rare phenomenon of snowing."

"Um… Clair…" I said, but she opened the door for me, stepping in.

She walked a little, and then came to a dead stop when she saw who was on the couch.

"Katey, what have you not been telling me?" She asked quietly, still in shock.

"Uh… Clair… Meet Christine, Madame Giry, and Meg." I said, pointing to them, and then in French I added "Madame Giry, Christine, Meg, meet my best friend, Clair."

"You never told me you could speak French!" She hissed in my ear.

"Your idols are sitting right in front of you and all you're concerned about is how I can speak French?" I whispered back, grinning.

"It can't be them though! You're putting me on… Oh my God, am I on Punk'd? Because if I am, I swear to God I'm going to kill you, Katey."

"No, you're not on Punk'd, I swear. This is the real deal."

"Catch me, I think I'm going to faint!" She said, falling back into my arms.

I rolled my eyes and pushed her upright.

"I'm on cloud fifty gazillion!" she said, clasping her hands.

"What's she talking about?" Christine asked, no doubt confused.

"She's one of your fans I mentioned earlier. I never told her about what happened when I was in the Coma. Please pardon her rude behavior, but she's obsessed." I said to them, apologizing.

"Fleur, I think it's time you told her." Madame Giry said sternly.

I sighed. "Now?"

She glared at me, and I sighed again.

I turned back to Clair and said in English, "Clair, you had better sit down because what I'm going to tell you is going to be crazy."

She sat down on the floor obediently, and I sat down with her, starting the story, only in a different style. "The night that I fell into the coma, something strange happened…"

Half-way through the story, I was interrupted by a thump from above.

I jumped up, and ran up the stairs, with Clair close behind, all the while asking "What the heck was that?"

I opened the door to my room, and Clair gasped loudly before saying "Oh…My…God…"

"Well it's about time you showed up." I said simply, going to help Erik up.

"Who's she?" He asked rudely about Clair, who looked as though she was seeing the face of God.

"My best friend." I said, equally as mean.

"Interesting choice of Friends you have; first the ballet rats and the god forsaken chorus, and now a girl who looks as though seeing Jesus himself?"

"Shut it, you." I said harshly, and then to Clair "Come on, close your mouth. You look like you're in Special Ed.

She nodded, shut her mouth, and followed us back down to the living room, where the girls were talking quietly.

"I present to you… Erik." I said flatly, with not much humor in my voice.

I flipped the movie back on, and went on telling Clair the story.

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Lame chapter, I know. Nothing really big happened, which I know I'm going to get reviews saying "Nothing big? ARE YOU INSANE?"

Whatever. It didn't seem like anything big.

Anyways! Please review!

And yes, I do love Josh Groban.